Garment bagging machine



Sept. 5, 1950 J. R. zALoUDEK GARMENT BAGGING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed March 1'7, 1949 l2 INVENTOR.

M RJMM sept. 5, 195o Filed March 17, 1949 J. R. ZALOUDEK GARMENT BAGGING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V EN TOR.

BY MRZM @mmm Patented Sept. 5, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT GFFICE GARMENT BAGGING MACHINE .John R. Zaloudek, Omaha, N ehr.

Application March 17, 1949, Serial No. 81,910

3 Claims. 1

This invention relates to the handling of clothing and more particularly it is an object of the invention to provide a machine for facilitating the placing of protective bags on garments.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine as described which is adapted to support large quantities of garment bags in convenient positions from which they can be pulled downwardly over a supported garment.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of a machine as described which is adapted to uphold an overcoat or the like in a position of suflicient height for preventing its coming in contact with the lloor, permitting the garment to swing downwardly, while yet supported, to a position such that the operator can easily remove the garment from its support.

A further object of the invention is to provide a garment bagging machine having two garment supports, one of which is adapted to swing into position for receiving a garment to be bagged at the time when the other is swinging into position for delivering a bagged garment.

A particular object of the invention is to pro, vide a novel latching mechanism for catching a swinging garment support and releasably holding the same in a position for bagging.

Still a further object of the invention resides in the provision of a notch in the end of a .gar- (go ment supporting member of the invention, the notch being shaped in a manner for facilitating the placing of a garment therein and the removal of a garment therefrom.

Another object of the invention is to providef a device for the purpose described which is sturdy and durable in construction, reliable and efficient in operation, and relatively simple and inexpensive to manufacture, assemble and `utilize.

`r2.0 Other and still further objects and advanj" Figure 4 is a view-in-secton taken along the line 4-4 of Figure `1.

Figure 5 is a detailed view O f an Gnd portion of one of the garment supporting mcmber of the invention.

Figure 6 is a frontal elevation of the latching mechanism of the invention, together with a broken away portion of the adjacent frame, an edge of a garment supporting member being indicated in dotted lines between the two latches thereof.

Figure 7 is a side elevation of the parts `Shown in Figure 6, the said portion of the garment supporting member also showing i-n dotted lines.

The garment bagging machine of this ,invennon comprises a frame generally indicated at 4.0.

The frame l0 preferably has three upright members l2 formed of pipe or the like, .and a fourth upright member I4, preferably formed of angle iron.

The uprights i2 and i4 are disposed in the opposite corners of a rectangle, and ,the iframe further includes horizontal members i6 disposed around the bottom of the rectangle and interconnecting the members vl2 and i4; other horizontal members I 8 disposed upwardly from the members I6 and horizontally arranged in a rectangle for supporting garment bags indicated in dotted `lines at 20.

Two opposite ones of the members I8 are connected by a cross member 22 for further supporting the bags 20.

Upwardly spaced from the members i8 are a second group of horizontally disposed frame members "2B arranged in a rectangular configuration for supporting a second group of garment bags 30. Two of the frame membersz are further connected by means of a cross member 34, which latter serves to further support the garment bags 39.

The frame thus formed may be diagonally braced by means of ymembers 36, if desired, .and the frame is arranged having the lower end of the various upright members disposed in horizontal .pla-ne for resting upon the floor of the building.

This invention further includes garment supporting means, including a member having a preferably straight elongated .center section -5'2 formed of angle iron.

YThe section ,52 is pivotaflly mounted on the frame il) at its center` and by means o f an axle shaft 5B, which latter is rotatably disposed bearing blocks 58,. @ne .of the latter is secured to the upright M, the other is secured to that upright I2 which is directly rearwardly disposed from the upright I4, and is secured to the said upright I2 by means of a mounting plate 60.

The garment supporting means further includes two sections 10 which extend in opposite directions outwardly from opposite ends of the straight portion 52 and at preferably a right angle with respect to the straight portion 52.

The sections 10 have arcuate portions 14 connecting elongated garment bag receiving portions 16 to the straight section 52.

The garment bag receiving portions 16 are each preferably straight and are provided on their outer end with notches 80 having side walls 82 and 84. The side wall 84 preferably extends outwardly from the end of the garment supporting rod a greater distance for catching coat-hanger hooks to guide the latter into the notches 80.

The longer walls 84 are disposed on the frame sides of theY notches 00. The shorter wall B2 serves to permit the free removalrof a hanger hook 86 holding a garment 90, as indicated in dotted lines in Figure l. Y

The elongated garment receivingportions 16 of each of the members 10 are disposed each in a position with respect to the straight section 52 such that at times when theY section 52 is verti cally disposed, the tip end of one of the portions 16 will be disposed under the middle of the open ends |5'of the garment bag 20.

It is preferable that the garment supporting members, as thus described, be reinforced by means of angle irons |00. The latter are each disposed on the inside of the curved portions 14 and are securedthereto by pins 15. the sections 22, however, the reinforcing irons are spaced apart from the sections and join and are secured to the sections 52 at points spaced inwardly from the sections 10.

As thus described, it will be seen that those parts of the garment supporting member 50 which are disposed on opposite sides of the pivot shaft 56 counter-balance each other and are preferably of identical shape.`

This invention further includes latch means for arresting pivoting movements of the garment 'supporting member 50. Such means includes two latch members |20 and 22. The latter are each elongated and are each nivotally mounted on a 'bearing pin |24, which latter is secured in ears |26 of a mounting member I 30.

The mounting member |30 is disposed in parallelism with the forward side of the upright member I4 and is pivotally secured thereto by means of a bolt |40 and washer |44.

The mounting member |30 is further provided with a transversely disposed forwardly extending nib |50 which is disposed spaced apart from the undersides of the latch members |20 and |22.

The latch members |20 and |22 are each provided with an outwardly extending lug |54 and |56 respectively. Two springs |60 are provided disposed each `connecting one of the lugs |56 to rearwardly at its outer end for catching the rearward edge of the section 52 of the garment supporting member 50 at times when the latter Adjacent' is rotating in the diretcion of the arrow |00, as shown in Figure 1.

The arm or guide |10 will cause its latch |20 to be deflected rearwardly for permitting the rearward edge of the section 52 to pass.

The other latch arm |22 will prevent the further movement of the section 52 in the direction of the arrow |80, except at times when the operator pushes rearwardly upon the arm |12 to release the latch |22, as later described.

Shock absorbing means are provided by the invention for gradually resisting the impact of the garment supporting member 50 upon the latch member I 20. Such means includes the mounting member |30, previously described, and further includes a mounting bolt |00, which latter is disposed through a horizontal bracket |92, which latter extends forwardly from the upright I4. The bolt is held in a horizontal position transversely of the support I4, in parallelism with the front thereof and in parallelism with the plane of rotation of the mounting member |30.

Two springs 200 are disposed on the bolt |90 on opposite sides of a forwardly extending tab 2|0, which latter is secured to the lower end of the member I 30. The tab 2|0 is provided with an aperture therethrough for receiving the bolt |00, the aperture being of such size as to permit considerable movement of the mounting |30 along the bolt |90.

As thus described, the springs 200 will resist pivoting movements of the mounting |30 in both directions.

In operation, it will be seen that the garment supporting member 50 will be disposed in the position shown in Figure l, with a garment 90 thereon at the time of bagging. The supporting member 50 will be held in this position by the latch members |20 and |22.

One of the garment bags 20 may then be pulled downwardly over the upper end of the elongated end portion 96, over the suit 90y and the hanger 220.

When the bag is in position over the garment 90, the operator may push rearwardly on the arm |12 releasing the garment supporting member `50. The latter will be caused to rotate by gravity in the direction of the arrow |80, since the weight of the garment 90 will over-balance the other half portion of the supporting member 50. When the garment has reached a convenient position within reach of an operator, the garment 90 may be held while the garment supporting member 50 continues rotation. The member 50 Will then ypass outwardly from the garment bag, leaving the garment in bagged condition in the hands of the operator.

The garment supporting member 50 will continue its rotation until such time as the opposite end 16 of the support `50 is in the position shown in Figure l. Just prior to reaching this position, the straight portion 52 wil bump the guide |10, deiiecting the same rearwardly against the urge of the spring |60 until the portion 52 has passed the latch member |20. At this time it will abut and be stopped by the latch member |22 and will be locked in bagging position.

It will be seen that this invention has provided a garment bagging machine which is adapted to facilitate the convenient placing of bags on garments, to support large quantities of garment bags in convenient positions, to remove itself by gravity from a bagged garment, to rotate without the application of power under the weight of garments placed thereon, to automatically and securely lock in a desired bagging position, to be conveniently releasable for movement from a bagging position to delivery position; and has provided a bagging machine so constructed as to be shock absorbing.

From the foregoing description it is thought to be obvious that a, garment bagging device construeted in accordance with my invention is particularly well adapted for use by reason or the convenien-ce and facility with which it be assembled and operated, and it will also be obvious that my invention is susceptible of some change and modication without departing from the principles and spirit theerof, and for this reason I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the precise arrangement and formation of the several 'parts herein shown in carrying out my invention in practice except as claimed.

I claim:

1. A garment bagging machine comprising; a frame; means on said frame for supporting garment bags; a garment supporting member having two elongated end portions for the reception of garment bags thereover, said end portions being disposed extending in opposite directions, said member being pivotally secured to said frame at a point on said member between said end portions for pivoting in a normally Vertical plane, the tips of said end portions being provided with notches, one side wall of each notch being disposed extending further outwardly than the other side wall; two releasable latches pvotally secured to said frame in a manner for engaging opposite sides of said garment supporting member to hold said member in a garment receiving position, one of said latches being provided with an inclined guide portion for engaging said member at times to depress said one latch for permitting the passage of said member; and resilient means for urging said latches toward positions for engaging said garment supporting member.

2. A garment bagging machine comprising: a frame; means on said frame for supporting garment bags; a garment supporting member having an elongated end portion for the reception of a garment bag thereover; means pivotally mounting said member on said frame for permitting the swinging oi said end of said member from a normally upper garment receiving position to a normally lower garment delivering position; a mounting member pivotally secured to said frame for pivoting in a plane in parallelism with the plane of pivoting of said supporting member; shock absorbing means engaging said mounting member and secured to said frame for resisting movements of said mounting member from, a rest position; two releasable latches pivotally secured to said mounting member in a manner for engaging opposite sides of said garment supporting member 'to hold said member in a garment receiving position; releasable latch means for holding said member in a garment receiving position; and springs secured to said latches and to said mounting member for urging said latches toward positions for engaging and supporting said garment supporting member.

3. A garment bagging machine comprising: a frame; means on said frame for supporting garment bags; a garment supporting member having two elongated end portions for the reception of garment bags thereover, said end portions being disposed extending in opposite directions, said member being pivotally secured to said frame at Y a point on said member between said end portions for pivoting in a normally vertical plane; and releasable means for holding said member in a garment receiving position.

JOHN R. ZALOUDEK.

REFERENCE S CITED The following references are of record in the file this patent:

STATES PATENTS i'nmber Name Date 1,517,814 Wolsiffer Dec. 2, 1924 2,041,224 Brown n n May 19, 1936 2,385,996 Kohl Oct. 2, 1945 

